In kids, the brain development is fastest in the early years and by the age of three, brain reaches almost ninety percent of its full size. Thus, it is important that kids get a healthy and balance diet in the early years of their life, which will help them to develop concentration, mental capacity and memory.
How to improve concentration power in kids
Let us now look at some of the things you can do to create a balance diet for your kid, which helps to improve their concentration power.
Healthy Fats:
The percentage of fatty acids in the brain is quite high and the body must always sustain proper levels of these fatty acids by taking the right diet. It has been noticed that DHA is one of the most important fatty acids present in the brain that is required for growth as well as proper functioning of various nerve tissues. DHA also has a vital role to play in different cognitive functions like concentration, focus and memory. In case DHA levels are low then many disorders related to brain development can occur. Some food items that are good sources of DHA are Salmons, some types of seafood and eggs.
Amino Acids:
It is important for kids to eat required amounts of proteins on a daily basis to effectively create as well as repair brain cells. Food products that are good sources of proteins can provide amino acids, known as building blocks, necessary for creating brain enzymes and neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters in turn have a role to play in concentration power, mood and focus kids have. It is also noticed that protein deficiency as well as malnutrition can negatively affect brain’s functions and development.
Vitamin B-12:
This vitamin is required for nerve development in kids as well as infants and its deficiency can lead to many behavioral as well as developmental problems in them. In case the level of Vitamin B-12 becomes very low then it can result in brain atrophy in which brain shrinks and results in cognitive difficulties in kids. This vitamin is present in many food sources such as poultry and meat.
Importance of Vitamins:
A kid’s ability to concentrate properly as well as development of the brain is directly related to intake of various vitamins. As for example, ability of having abstract thoughts is related to sufficient intake of Vitamin B-1, B-2 and B-3. Similarly, visual as well as spatial performance is improved if Vitamin C intake is adequate. Visual memory develops with intake of Vitamins A, B-6, E and B-12. You can ensure that your kid gets all these vitamins in the right percentage by giving them a balanced diet that has good amount of vegetables and fruits in it.
Improvement in Concentration with Healthy Food
In a recent survey involving four thousand students of an elementary school, the benefits of having healthy food was measure using various tests. For measuring short-term memory, the some digits were read out to them, such as six, five and three, and then the students were told to repeat these digits.
The rating was done based on the number of digits students were able to remember properly. Similarly, verbal fluency was also tested in which children had to tell names of all animals they could think of within sixty seconds. It was found that those students who were taking healthy meals were able to perform better as compared to the other students.
Summary:
There are several benefits of healthy diet for kids and most importantly, it helps them concentrate as well as remember their studies. The only thing you will have to keep in mind is that the diet should be a proper mix of all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.